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Leh–Ladakh Road Trip: Khardung La, Nubra & Pangong

Leh–Ladakh Road Trip: Khardung La, Nubra & Pangong

Ladakh

A seven-day high-altitude road trip from Leh over Khardung La to the Nubra Valley and the brackish blue of Pangong Tso.

7 days 12 stopsby CityDekho Editorial

Ladakh is India at its most cinematic — a high-altitude desert of ochre mountains, turquoise lakes and centuries-old Buddhist monasteries, reached by some of the highest motorable roads on earth. This seven-day road trip eases you in gently: two days acclimatising in Leh before you climb over Khardung La into the Nubra Valley, then cross to the shores of Pangong Tso on the India–China frontier.

Expect Bactrian camels on cold-desert dunes, Balti villages near the Line of Control, and lake water that changes colour by the hour. Altitude is the one thing to respect — take it slowly, carry your Inner Line Permits, and travel between June and September when the passes are open. Every stop is a real place on CityDekho; save the guide or copy it into your own planner.

Duration

7 days / 6 nights

Best time

June to September

Distance

~700 km of mountain driving

Difficulty

Moderate — high altitude

Bases

Leh · Nubra · Pangong

Trip highlights

  • Acclimatise in Leh at about 3,500 m
  • Cross Khardung La, among the world's highest motorable passes
  • Ride a Bactrian camel on Hunder's cold-desert dunes
  • Balti villages of Nubra and Turtuk near the LoC
  • Sunrise over brackish Pangong Tso on the LAC

Know before you go

Altitude & AMS
Leh is around 3,500 m and the passes top 5,000 m. Acclimatise two days in Leh before Khardung La or Pangong, ascend slowly and drink plenty of water.
Inner Line Permit
Indian and foreign visitors need an Inner Line Permit for Nubra, Pangong and Khardung La — arranged easily in Leh.
Season & roads
This is a summer trip (roughly June–September). The high passes and the Manali–Leh highway close under snow in winter.
Connectivity & cash
Only postpaid Indian SIMs work in Ladakh and signal is patchy beyond Leh. Carry cash — ATMs are scarce outside town.

The day-by-day plan

1

Day 1

Land in Leh — rest and acclimatise

Leh sits at about 3,500 m. Do almost nothing today: rest, drink plenty of water and let your body adjust — acute mountain sickness is a real risk if you rush higher.

  1. Leh Main Bazaar
    Evening

    Leh Main Bazaar

    A gentle first-evening stroll through Leh's old bazaar below the Palace — prayer-flag stalls, apricot sellers and Ladakhi cafés.

2

Day 2

Leh town — Palace, Stupa, sunset

An easy day around Leh to keep acclimatising, finishing with a sunset from Shanti Stupa.

  1. Leh Palace
    Morning

    Leh Palace

    A nine-storey former royal palace built in the 17th century by King Sengge Namgyal, echoing the Potala in Lhasa.

  2. Shanti Stupa
    Evening

    Shanti Stupa

    A white Buddhist stupa built by Japanese Buddhists and inaugurated in 1991 — one of Leh's best sunset viewpoints.

3

Day 3

Day trip to Hemis Monastery

A short drive south of Leh to Ladakh's grandest gompa, still within comfortable acclimatisation altitude.

  1. Hemis Monastery
    Morning

    Hemis Monastery

    The largest and wealthiest gompa in Ladakh, of the Drukpa lineage, set in a side valley south of Leh.

  2. Hemis Heritage Museum
    Afternoon

    Hemis Heritage Museum

    The monastery museum holds centuries-old thangkas, statues and relics; the Hemis festival's masked dances are held here in early summer.

4

Day 4

Over Khardung La to Nubra

Today crosses Khardung La into the Nubra Valley. You'll need an Inner Line Permit (arranged in Leh) and an early start before the afternoon winds.

  1. Morning

    Khardung La Pass

    One of the world's highest motorable passes and the gateway from Leh to Nubra. The signboard proclaims 18,380 ft, though modern GPS surveys put it nearer 5,359 m (17,582 ft). Stop only briefly — the thin air is no place to linger.

  2. Diskit Monastery
    Afternoon

    Diskit Monastery

    Nubra's oldest and largest monastery (14th century), watched over by a 32-metre statue of the Maitreya, the future Buddha.

5

Day 5

Dunes, camels and Turtuk

Explore the Nubra Valley floor — its famous dunes and, with time, the far northern village of Turtuk near the Line of Control.

  1. Hunder Sand Dunes
    Morning

    Hunder Sand Dunes

    Cold-desert sand dunes between Diskit and Hunder, home to the double-humped Bactrian camel — a living relic of the old Silk Road caravans.

  2. Turtuk Village
    Afternoon

    Turtuk Village

    One of India's northernmost villages, near the Line of Control and opened to visitors only in 2010 — a Balti settlement of apricot orchards and stone lanes.

6

Day 6

The long road to Pangong Tso

A long, high drive to Pangong Tso. Another Inner Line Permit zone; most travellers overnight at Spangmik on the lake's Indian shore.

  1. Pangong Tso
    Anytime

    Pangong Tso

    A 134 km brackish lake at about 4,225 m straddling the India–China Line of Actual Control; it shifts from turquoise to deep blue through the day and freezes solid in winter despite being saline.

  2. 3 Idiots Point
    Afternoon

    3 Idiots Point

    The lakeshore spot made famous by the finale of the film 3 Idiots.

  3. Spangmik Village
    Evening

    Spangmik Village

    The main hamlet on Pangong's Indian shore, where most lakeside stays and campsites sit.

7

Day 7

Back to Leh

Return to Leh — a full day on the road. Fly out the next morning, or extend with the Tso Moriri loop if you have more time and permits.

  1. A rest / travel day.

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